Arkansas governor seeks federal approval for Medicaid change

LITTLE ROCK— Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is meeting with officials in Washington as the state seeks approval for changes to its hybrid Medicaid expansion program.

Arkansas has requested a waiver for its "Arkansas Works" program, also known as the private option. The program uses federal Medicaid money to buy private health insurance for low-income residents and currently covers about 300,000 people.

Hutchinson said that he met with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, then members of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team Monday. He says the federal government has agreed to some but not all of Arkansas' proposed changes.

The changes include a requirement that some beneficiaries pay a premium and mandating that participants with no income be referred to job training and placement programs.

http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/arkansas/story/2016/dec/07/arkansas-governor-seeks-federal-approval-medicaid-changes/652100/